Latest Additions


  • New Top Picks section reveals the best gear HT's reviewed.
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  • The Onkyo TX-NR1009 AVR offers outstanding performance and value.
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  • HT's Top Picks of 2011 are the best of the best we reviewed last year.
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  • GoldenEar does it again with the TritonCinema Three speaker system.
    • Do You Wear Earplugs in Loud Environments?
    Vote
    Scott Wilkinson • Feb 10, 2012 • 3 comments
    Today's "Ask Home Theater" question regards hearing protection and earplugs. Which leads me to ask, do you wear earplugs in loud environments, such as rock concerts and loud movies? If so, do you wear custom-molded or universal plugs? If not, why not? Let us know in the comments.

    Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.

    Do You Wear Earplugs in Loud Environments?
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    Hearing Protection
    Ask Home Theater
    Scott Wilkinson • Feb 10, 2012 • 1 comments
    I'm a listener from Lima, Peru, and I love your podcast. In episode 71, you said that you use hearing protection when you go to the movies or concerts. What do you use, specifically? I am very concerned about protecting my hearing, as I have a relatively low tolerance to loud sounds, compared to other people. I tend to cringe and almost feel pain when I'm in loud environments, more than anybody else. But I like music, so I bought a pair of in-ear monitors (Etymotic ER4s) some years ago. I like the isolation so much that I sometimes leave them in my ears with no music, just to hear nothing.

    I recently ordered a pair of ER20 "high fidelity plugs" from Etymotic, a universal-fit, low-cost option ($12.95) that the company claims to reduce sound by approximately 20dB in all frequencies. Have you ever tried them? I have also ordered a pair of custom-fit sleeves for my ER4s from ACS Custom. (When I was in the US, I went to an audiologist for my ear-canal impressions.) Because I had my impressions taken, I can also order a pair of custom-fit plugs with filters. However, they are more expensive ($185). Do you recommend the custom-fit ones?

    Marcos Murayama

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    AVR and Speakers for under $1500
    Ask Home Theater
    Scott Wilkinson • Feb 08, 2012 • 14 comments
    I am considering buying a Denon AVR-2112CI receiver with Bose Acoustimass 10 speakers. I chose Bose because I have a small living room (15x20 feet). I have a 46-inch Sony LCD TV, and the space to put a 5.1 speaker system is 2.5x5 feet. I've been saving for a year and cannot decide whether I should buy Bose.

    I recently came across your site and found your Top Picks for A/V receivers and compact speakers. In particular, I was interested in the Pioneer VSX-1021 AVR and the Cambridge Audio Minx S215 or Definitive ProCinema 600 speaker systems because they are smaller than the Pioneer SP-BS41-LR system.

    I hope you can advise me on which receiver and speaker system to get. My budget is between $1000 and $1500.

    Emmanuel

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    Podcast 98: Sean Olive
    Home Theater Geeks Podcast
    Scott Wilkinson • Feb 07, 2012 • 4 comments
    Sean Olive, director of acoustic research at Harman International, talks about the importance of training listeners to evaluate sound systems, Harman's "How to Listen" training program that's available for free online, blind vs. sighted listening tests, Harman's Multichannel Listening Lab, the lack of meaningful speaker specifications, subjective vs. objective evaluation of room-correction systems, research into sound-quality preferences of high school and college students, answers to chat-room questions, and more.

    Run Time: 45:57

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    Optoma HD33 3D DLP Projector
    3D Projector Reviews, Projector Reviews
    Scott Wilkinson • Feb 07, 2012 • 0 comments
    2D Performance
    3D Performance
    Features
    Ergonomics
    Value
    Price: $1,499 At A Glance: Among least expensive 3D projectors • Good detail and color • High black level in 2D, low brightness in 3D • No lens shift

    Like it or not, 3D compatibility is becoming nearly ubiquitous in midrange to high-end flat panels and projectors. But what about those who are looking for an entry-level projector with 3D? Are they out of luck? Not according to Optoma, whose HD33 DLP projector sells for less than $1,500, making it one of the least expensive 1080p 3D projectors on the market.

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    Toshiba 55TL515U 3D LCD HDTV
    3D Flat Panel Reviews, Flat Panel Reviews
    Thomas J. Norton • Feb 07, 2012 • 0 comments
    2D Performance
    3D Performance
    Features
    Ergonomics
    Value
    Price: $1,800 At A Glance: Crisp resolution • Bright 3D • So-so black level • Poor screen uniformity

    The last three flat-panel HDTVs reviewed in these pages averaged over $4,000 each—a figure inflated, to be sure, by one of them costing $6,000. Statement products tell us what’s possible and where the technology is going. Most Home Theater readers want to know these things.

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    SVS SCS-02(M) Speaker System
    Compact Speaker Reviews
    Mark Fleischmann • Feb 07, 2012 • 1 comments
    Performance
    Build Quality
    Value
    Price: $1,706 At A Glance: Listening fatigue immunity • Extremely solid build • Factory-direct value

    SVS Sound designs its products from the bottom up. The company got its start as a subwoofer manufacturer, fascinating point-one-obsessed audiophiles with unusual (and potent) cylinder-shaped models. Check out the company’s Website at svsound.com under products and you’ll find the subwoofer category listed above speakers and systems. If you want to add an SVS sub to an existing system, the Website’s Merlin engine lets you key in the make and model of your non-SVS speakers to obtain recommendations on compatible SVS subs. Merlin will even offer suggestions for subwoofer crossovers in both surround and stereo systems.

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    Best Settings for Sony KDL-46Z4100
    Ask Home Theater
    Scott Wilkinson • Feb 06, 2012 • 1 comments
    Do you have any recommended settings for the Sony KDL-46Z4100 LCD TV? I am presently using the factory default settings in the Cinema picture mode, which I'm told is the best mode to start with.

    Fitz Forde

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    How Often Do You Go Out To The Movies?
    Vote
    Scott Wilkinson • Feb 03, 2012 • 14 comments
    Last week, I asked about how many Oscar-nominated movies you've seen, and I was surprised that the most popular response was "none" followed by "a few." This led me to wonder how often our readers actually go out to the movies. Of course, many of you have a good home theater, which is generally quieter, more controllable, and less expensive (that is, not counting the purchase price!) than a commercial cinema. And some home theaters even provide a better audio/video experience than lesser commercial venues.

    On the other hand, if you stay home to watch movies, you don't get to see the latest titles until they are released on Blu-ray or other media. Also, there are many commercial cinemas that surpass all but the most elaborate home theaters in performance. Then there's the social aspect—maybe I'm weird (okay, maybe there's no "maybe" about it!), but I actually enjoy sharing the movie experience with my fellow humans, as long as they don't talk or text during the show and the kid behind me doesn't kick my chair.

    So how often do you go out to the movies? Why do you go—or not—in lieu of your home theater?

    Vote to see the results and leave a comment about your choice.

    How Often Do You Go Out To The Movies?
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    Casual and Luxurious
    AV Interiors
    Kim Wilson • Feb 03, 2012 • 1 comments
    Photos Nick Woolley

    Park City, Utah, boasts three world-class ski resorts. Canyons, the largest of the three, offers ski-in and out access to The Colony, a residential area where the homeowners of this theater reside part-time. When they aren’t on the slopes, this couple likes relaxing and sharing their custom home theater with friends and family.

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